Hoisting and conveying apparatus



{No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. R. HALL. HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

No. 537,571. Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

WITNESSES: INVENTORY W BY 2x4 ATTORN FY 1w: cams PETER! ca. murauynu, msummou. n c.

' (N70 Mod el.) 5 sheets-sneer, a.

J. R. HA LL. HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS. No. 537,571. Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

WITNESSES:

A? 7W BY ATTORNEY at Nonms PETERS cc. Pna'roumq, WASHINGTON. 05c.

(No Model.) I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. R. HALL. HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

No. 537,571. Patented Apr. 16, 1895 INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ATTORN EY THE gwRms PETERS c0, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, n c,

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. R.- HALL.

HOISTING AND CONVEYING "APPARATUS. No. 531571 23 Patentegkgl 16, 1895.

WITNESSES: v INVENTOR h fid VZW ATTORNEY THE nonms FETER$ can FHOYp-LITHQ. Wasmuamm 0.1:.

NI'IED STATES ATENT I FFICE.

JAMES R. IIALL, or CAMP CORNELIA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE TRENTON IRON COMPANY, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,571, dated April 16, 1895.

Application filed August 31, 1894. Serial No. 521,788. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES R. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camp Cornelia, in the county of Charlton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoisting and Conveying Apparatuses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hoisting and conto veying devices, and more particularly to that class of such apparatuses as embody a way, which may be either a tramway or tramrope, upon which runs a traveling carriage controlled by means of ropes operated from a powerstation; and the objects of myimprovement are to combine with such hoisting and hauling apparatus means for excavating the material to be transported by the same, and to introduce various improved details of construction in such existing devices.

The apparatus embodying my improvements is designed for use in excavating and conveying earth, gravel and the like, and more especially-for use in excavating trenches,

canals, &c., and I have shown in the drawings forming a part of this specification an apparatus of the kind mentioned containing my improvements as the same appear when in use for excavating a trench.

0 This particular apparatus, as will be seen, consists of a wire tramrope erected upon two supports, one of which supports is placed on one side of the line of the proposed trench and the other support upon the other side of said 5 proposed trench, and mounted upon said tramrope is a carriage adapted to travel thereon and to support and move a receptacle which is used for scooping the earth from the trench and carrying it to and delivering it at a de- 0 sired point or points on one sideof the line of the proposed trench, where its contents are discharged, said receptacle being operated by ropes passing over sheaves upon said traveling carriage and worked by winding drums,

located near one of the terminal supports of the tramrope, said drums being driven by a steam engine or otherwise. As will be readily understood, the location of the terminal standards or supports of such an apparatus must be changed from time to time as the work of excavation progresses, and I have provided means for facilitating such changes of location of the supports, and also various improved devices for facilitating the work of excavation, to which reference will be more fully 5 5 and explicitly made hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of an end portion of a hoisting and conveying apparatus embodying my improvements in which is shown the traveling carriage and the receptacle conveyed thereby as the same appears when loaded and in position to be moved out on the line for discharge. Fig. 2 is a like View of the other end of the way of said apparatus showing the traveling carriage advanced and the receptacle inverted to dump its load. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the entire apparatus. Fig. 4. represents a side elevation of the part of the apparatus at which the operating engine and drums are placed and shows the manner in which said engine and drums and a mast are mounted upon skids, and the connection of the operating cables with the drums. Fig. 5 is a view of the same portion of the apparatus 7 5 shown in Fig. 4 showing the skids, on which are mounted the hoisting engine and the mast, rigged for removal to a new location. Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of the preferred form of traveling carriage and receptacle, and indicates the manner in which the operating ropes are reeved. Fig. 7 shows an end elevation of said carriage and the receptacle and their connections. Fig. 8 shows a side elevation of a modified form of traveling carriage with a side plate removed to show the arrangement of the sheaves; and Fig. 9 shows an end elevation of such modified form of traveling carriage.

In the drawings, A indicates one of the sup gg ports ofthe tramway and B indicates the otheF a of said supports.

O is the tramrope which crosses the line of the proposed trench and is firmly secured to a collar a on the support A to the other side 5 of which collar is attached a guy bin line with the tramrope C, and firmly anchored to the ground. At its other end the tramrope O is carried over a sheave 0 attached to the sup port B, and its end is attached .to one blockof 2 seem 1o struction of which framework is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5. The support or mast A is firmly sustained by guys attached to said framework as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, said guys being preferably wire ropes attached to I 5 a collar firmly fixed upon the support A at or near the middle thereof and adjustably attached at their outer and lower ends to the crossed timbers of said framework upon which the mast is mounted. The engine and'mast A are so mounted upon this framework as to facilitate their easy transition from point to point as the work of excavation progresses. The manner of moving the framework, mast, &c., will be explained later.

2 5 The receptacle D, which is used to excavate and transport the earth from the trench, is made preferably of iron and of a rectangular form in horizontal plane and is provided with a rigid bail t'. The receptacle has a link or rings formed at the middle of one of its wider lower edges to which is attached a rope operated to turn the receptacle, and the upper edges of the longer sides of the receptacle are preferably formed of steel plates drawn to a 5 sharp edge to facilitate their cutting into the earth while the receptacle is in operation as a scoop or dredge. This receptacle D is operated by several ropes, one of which, 70, called the loading rope, is wound upon the drum 1 4o operated by the engine, and passes over a sheave Znear the top of the mast A and around asheave m anchored within the lines of the proposed excavation at some distance to one side of the tramrope O, and back to the bail of the bucket D to which its end is attached.

The rope it, called the hoisting rope, is wound upon the drum 2, and passes thence around a sheave in a block 0 at the bottom of the mast A and thence around a sheave p at the lower extremity of the carriage or traverse E which runs upon the tramrope O to the bail of the receptacle to which its end is firmly attached.

The rope (1, called the outhaul rope, which is woundupon the drum 3, passes thence a and another sheave in the block 0 at the foot of the mast A, and thence between idler rolls r'--r on the traveling carriage, and thence around a sheave in a block 3 near the top of the support B, and thence back and over a sheave t, attached to a latch to depending from the frame of the traveling carriage, to the bottom of the receptacle D where its end is attached to the link or ringj at the side of the 6 receptacle as above mentioned.

The drums upon which the ropes 70, n and q are wound are operated by an ordinary hoistingengine as shown in the drawings, or by any other approved motor, and are provided with the ordinary brakes and levers (not shown) for operating them separately or together.

The preferred form of carriage or traverse which moves back and forth upon the tramrope C is of simple construction and is shown to best advantage in Fig. 6. As will be readily seen, the carriage is supported by the grooved wheels 'vo which travel upon the tramrope, and their axles turn in two side plates 10-10; and pivotally depending from said side plates w-w is a hanger or frame consisting of two plates or bars xw in which are pivoted the sheave p and the idlers r-r. Pivoted upon this depending frame is the latch 'u, from which depends the sheave 15. At the lower end of this latch are riveted,orotherwise fastened, two triangular plates y-y which flare or diverge from each other toward their angles farthest from the depending latch to which. they are attached; and on the hoisting rope n near the hail of the receptacle D is firmly fixed a stop or lug z. The use of the plates yy and the stop or lug 2 on the hoisting rope n will be explained hereinafter.

In setting up the apparatus it is erected as above described,the support A,mounted upon the framework resting upon the skids hh with the engine and drums, being placed at any desired point on one side of the line of the proposed trench (the skids hh being placed parallel to the line of the proposed trench), and there anchored by means of the guys I), 0. and b; the guys connecting the support'A with the framework being loosened to prevent undue strain on the framework during the operation of the apparatus; the other support B being erected on the other side of the line of the proposed excavation and at a sufficient distance therefrom to leave ample room between it and the line of the trench for depositing the excavated material, and is anchored by the guys e,f and g. If a tree be convenient it may be used as the support B. The tramrope O is then attached to the two supports Aand B and adjusted by the tackle cl. The carriage or traverse being mounted upon the tramrope, and the operating ropes In, it and q being reeved and attached to the receptacle D, two stops or bu mpers are firmly fixed to the tramrope O to limit the travel of the carriage thereon. ()ne of these bumpers c is placed at a point on the tramrope over or nearly over the middle line of the proposed trench, and the other bumper d is placed on the tramrope at a point over the proposed dump near the support B. These bumpers may be of any preferred form or material and attached to the tramcable in any desired manner. The apparatus is then ready for operation.

In operating the apparatus the drum 1 is set in motion to wind the loading rope is and drag the receptacle D along the surface of the ground toward the block 1%, and drum 2 is simultaneously permitted to unwind the hoisting rope n to allow the receptacle to drop and move upon the ground, the carriage E being meanwhile held against the bumper c which prevents the draft of the operating ropes from pulling the carriage too far toward the support A and off the line of the trench. The receptacle D being drawn by the rope 7c naturally moves upon one of its broader sides, and its sharpened edge digs into the earth and scoops it up until the receptacle is filled. Drum 2 is then set in motion to wind thereon the hoisting rope n and to elevate the receptacle from the ground and draw it under the tramrope, drum 1 being simultaneously allowed to revolve under brake pressure to unwind the rope k to secure the proper elevation of the receptacle D. When the receptacle swings under the tramrope O the drum 3 is set in operation to wind the outhaul rope q and the drums 1 and 2 are permitted to turn to unwind the loading rope k and the hoisting rope n at the same rate of speed. The receptacle, being provided with a rigid bail and being of sufficient capacity to contain a considerable quantity of earth, remains in an upright posit-ion, or nearly so, and is drawn with its load, as it depends from the carriage, to the other side of the proposed trench until the carriage reaches the bumper (1 over the point of deposit between the trench and the support Br 'llh e dru, m 3 op which is wound the outhaul r stopped while drums 1 and 2 onwhich are wound respectively the loading rope is and the hoisting rope n are permitted to revolve a moment longer to slack said ropes until the receptacle is sustained only by the outhaul rope q attached to the link j at the bottom of the receptacle when the receptacle quickly turns over by force of gravity and completely discharges its load upon the ground beneath, the bumper d meanwhile serving to prevent the further progress of the carriage toward the support B which, if it should occur, would result in permitting the receptacle to descend to the ground and rest thereon in an upright I position thus preventing the operation of fill it is repeated.

dumping. Thereceptacle emptied,the-drums 1 and 2 are reversely operated to wind the loading rope 7c and the hoisting rope it while the drum 3 is permitted to reverse its motion to unwind the outhaul rope q thus righting the receptacle and drawing the carriage back on the tramrope C to the bumper c, and the process of revolving the drums and dropping and dragging the receptacle along the ground to It will be understood that in-operating the drums as above mentioned they are controlled by brakes in the usual manner to prevent undue slackness of such ropes as should be held more or less taut or under control in directing the action of the carriage and receptacle.

I will now explain the use of the dependin latch u attached to the carriage. i

As will be seen in Figs. 6 and 7 the triangular plates yy are placed on each side of the hoisting rope n between the sheave p and the bail of the receptacle D. When the receptacle is loaded and the drum 2 is set in motion to wind the hoisting rope n the receptacle is brought up to a point but a short distance below the carriage, and by revolving the drum 2 sufficiently the stop 2 on the hoisting rope n is brought up against the lower angular edges of the two plates y-y and deflects the plates and the latch u to which they are attached until they are moved out of the path of the stop 2 sufliciently to permit said stop to pass upward between the flaring portions of said plates and out above them when the latch to immediately falls back into the Vertical po sit-ion shown in Fig. 6 and brings the plates 'yy into a position to block the descent of the stop z below them and the drum 2 is then reversed slightly to permit the stop 2 to rest upon said upper sides of said plates and sustain the hoisting rope and its load thereon. When the latch u and stopzare embodied in the apparatus it is, of course, unnecessary to apply the brake to the drum 2 when it is being turned to unwind the hoisting rope n to permit the carriage and receptacle to be drawn by the outhaul rope q toward the support B thus saving wear and tear of the machinery and extra attention by the operator. It will be readily understood that when the receptacle is carried on the latch to and is about to be discharged of its load the lugzis easily raised from the plates y'y and a draft being exerted upon the rope q the plates are withdrawn from beneath the lug and the re ceptacle is permitted to dump in the manner aboved described.

When the excavation of that part of the trench upon which work has been begun is completed and it becomes necessary to shift the apparatus and its attachments the tackle d is slackened to drop the tramrope, carriage and operating ropes to the ground. The guy ropes sustaining the supports A and B are loosened from their anchorages, the block m in the trench is removed and attached to a new anchorage farther on, and the loading rope 7c is detached from the receptacle D and entirely removed from the blocks through which it is reeved. The guys securing the mast A to the framework upon which it is mounted are tightened to prevent undue swaying of the mast in transit. The tackle d and its blocks are removed from their old fastenings and attached to a support similar to the support B located some fifty feet farther along the line of the trench and attached to new anchorages. A stake or other anchorage is fixed fifty or sixty feet in advance of the engine near the line of the trench, and a double block e is attached to the foot of the mast A, and another blockf is attached to the anchor in advance of the engine. The loading rope 7c is reeved through these blocks 6 andf' and the end of the rope is secured to the anchor- IIO age of the blockf'. Theloading drum 1 is then revolved to wind the rope is, and the skids bearing the engine audits connections and the support A are moved slowly forward until they reach the point of their new location. The mast A is then guyed to new anchorages and the apparatus is re-erected as before.

In shifting the apparatus itis usually found advisable to effect two shifts ,of the power station and the support A to one shift of the support B on the other side of the trench as the'operator thus is enabled to obtain fresh dumping space without moving both supports of the tramrope.

The apparatus can be readily arranged for depositing the excavated material between the excavation and the power station by attaching the end of the hoisting rope 'n to the bottom of the bucket in place of the outhaul rope q and attaching the end of the outhaul rope to the bail of the receptacle and locating the bumper c ata point on the tramrope between the support A and the trench and placing the bumper (1 over the middleline of the trench in which case the power station should be located at a sufiicient distance from the trench to give ample space for the excavated material. When so erected it will be understood that two shifts of the support B can be made to one shift of the power station and support A.

If it be desired to lengthen the travelof the receptacle upon the ground for a greater space than that between the line of the tramrope and the block m, it may be accomplished by causing the receptacle to swing beyond. the line of the tramrope and fall upon the ground. This may be done by dropping the receptacle to a point a few feet above the level of the earth to be excavated and then applying the brake to the hoisting drum 2 and turning drum 1 to wind the loading rope until the receptacle D is drawn up to the position indicated in Fig. 4. The loading rope is is then released, and the receptacle swings back under and beyond the line of the tramrope and when it reaches the limit of its outward swing the brake on drum 2 is taken off and rope n is released and the receptacle drops to the ground in the position and at the point shown in Fig. 3.

If desired an additional rope g may be attached to the linkj on the receptacle D and passed around a sheave h anchored within the lines of the trench on the opposite side of the apparatus from the sheave m and carried thence to a winch-head t" on either the hoisting or outhaul drum or to an independent drum operated by the engine, and by operating the winch-head or drum to which said rope is attached the receptacle may be drawn back to any desired distance beyond the tramrope.

If it be desired to break up the ground for the purpose of facilitating the work of the receptacle in loading, a plow may be attached to the operating ropes instead of the receptacle and run back and forth over the surface to be excavated until the earth is in proper condition for handling.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a modified form of carriage or traverse in which the sheaves which run upon the tramrope G and the sheave over which the hoisting rope passes are contained in a rigid frame, the idlers between which the rope q passes being formed upon one side of said frame as shown in Fig. 9. I have also shown in said figures another form of receptacle D which maybe used in gathering and transporting various materials. This modified form of receptacle has a cutting edge formed upon a steel face on the front side of the receptacle.

The hail of the receptacle shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is preferably made in two parts for convenient handling in making repairs, &c.

It will be understood that the power station and mast A may be located upon any movable platform or support, a car upon a tramway or other movable platform mounted upon wheels answering the same purpose as the framework shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a way supported above the level of the ground, and a carriage adapted to travel upon said way, in combination with a receptacle, a rope attached to the bail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a point outside the line of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave on said carriage, each of said ropes being wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

2. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a way supported above the level of the ground, and acarriage adapted to travel upon said way, in combination with a receptacle having a rigid bail, a rope attached to the bail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a point outside of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave in said carriage, each of said ropes being Wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

3. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a way supported above the level of the ground, and a carriage adapted to travel upon said way, in combination with a receptacle having a rigid bail and a sharp upper edge, a rope attached to the hail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a point outside the line of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave in said carriage, each of said ropes IIO being wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described. 4. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a way supported above the level of the ground and having fixed thereon a bumper, a carriage adapted to travel upon said way and contact with said bumper in combination with a receptacle having a rigid bail, a rope attached to the bail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a pointoutside the line of said way, and a rope attach ed to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave in said car- :riage, each of said ropes being wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

5. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a way supported above the level of the ground and having two bumpers fixed at different points on said way, and a carriage adapted to travel upon said way between the said bumpers, in combination with a receptacle having a rigid bail, a rope attached to the hail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a point outside the line of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave in said-carriage, each of said ropes being wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

6. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a waysupported above the level of the ground, and a carriage adapted to travel upon said way, said carriage having a swinging latch, in combination with a receptacle, a rope attached to the bail of said receptacle and run- -ning over a sheave on said carriage, and having a lug fixed thereon at a point a short distance from the bail of the receptacle, and adapted to co-operate with the latch of said carriage, a rope attached to said bail of said receptacle and-running over a sheave located at a point outside the line of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave on said carriage, each of said ropes being wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

7. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a way supported above the level of the ground, and having two bumpers fixed thereon at different points, and a carriage adapted to travel upon said way between said bumpers, said carriage havin g a latch, in combination with a receptacle having a rigid bail, a rope attached to the hail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, and having fastened upon it at a point near the hail of the receptacle a lug adapted to co-operate with said latch of said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a point outside the line of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and runningover a sheave in said carriage, each of said ropes being wound upon an independent drum, and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

8. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, away supported above the levelof the ground and having two bumpers fixed upon it at difupon said way between said bumpers, and

having a latch, in combination with a receptacle, rectangular in horizontal section and having a rigid bail and sharp upper edge, a rope attached to the bail of said receptacle and running over a sheave on said carriage, and having fixed upon it at a point near the bail of the receptacle a lug adapted to co-operate with said latch on said carriage, a rope attached to said bail and running over a sheave located at a point outside the line of said way, and a rope attached to said receptacle at or near its bottom and running over a sheave on said carriage, each of said ropes being wound upon an independent drurn,and said winding drums and their operating mechanism; substantially as shown and described.

9. In a hoisting and conveying apparatus, a receptacle of oblong form in horizontal section having sharp edges at the tops of its wider sides and having a rigid bail and a loop at themiddle of one of its wider lower edges,in combination with ropes for operating said receptacle; substantially as shown and de-' JAMES R. HALL.

YVitnesses:

B. G. MCDONALD, H. S. RENFRoE.

ICC 

